Incidents and Statments involving LTTE: 2016

Date

Nature of incident

January 8

Colombo

Colombo

The Colombo Special High Court removed the arrest warrant issued on former LTTE leader Emil Kanthan after his lawyers informed the court that he is prepared to return to the island in two weeks and surrender to the Police.

Jaffna District

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, who was touring Jaffna District, said that the charges leveled LTTE prisoners should be resolved through the court and it is a responsibility of the Sri Lankan Government.

14 ex-LTTE cadres, arrested on charges of criminal activities and later granted bail, refused to undergo a period of rehabilitation when the case was taken up by the Colombo Additional Magistrate.

TID informed Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court that it will take measures against former LTTE detainees who are refusing to undergo rehabilitation.

Mullaitivu Magistrate M.S.M. Samzudeen ordered the Commander of the 58 Division of the Army to submit to the court before April 19 a list of LTTE surrenders' to the security forces during the final stage of the war in the Wattuwakkal area in Mullaitivu District.

16 Tamil prisoners detained under the PTA for allegedly having links with the LTTE have restarted hunger strike demanding their early release as they have been held for a long time without being charged.

Former senior LTTE leader Emil Kanthan, wanted in connection with attempted murder of former Minister Douglas Devananda, was not present in Court although his counsel undertook to facilitate his surrender before Courts at the previous hearing.

State Counsel Ms. Nayomi Wickremasekara who appeared for the Attorney General's Department informed Court that she needs one week's time to seek the Attorney General's advice regarding warrant and red notice issued on former senior LTTE leader Emil Kanthan.

Former Army Commander and Minister of Regional Development Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka addressing a media briefing in Colombo requested President Maithripala Sirisena to release the LTTE cadre imprisoned in connection with the suicide bomb attack on him at the Army Headquarters in 2006.

Colombo

President Maithripala Sirisena while addressing the inauguration of the National Law Conference in Colombo reaffirmed that there was no need for international judges for investigations into human rights violations allegedly committed by Government troops and the LTTE.

Kilinochchi District

The former female political wing leader of LTTE, Subramaniam Sivathai compiling her experiences with the LTTE during the war into a book released in Kilinochchi District has offered a critical view on the terrorist organization and Tamil Society.

Colombo

Former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been summoned to appear in the Special High Court in Colombo to testify against LTTE suspects on May 3.

Police recovered a haul of explosives and suicide kit from a residence within the Chavakachcheri Police area of Jaffna District believed to have been hidden by the LTTE during the war period.

Police recovered stocks of explosives and weapons at a location in Mannar District believed to have been hidden by the LTTE during the war period.

Commissioner for Missing persons Maxwell Paranagama while replying to questions by the media at the conclusion of the inquiries of the Commission held at Vavuniya District said that EPDP, PLOTE and EPRLF were answerable for missing persons during LTTE war.

Pathmanabha led-ERPLF decided to drop the words "Eelam" and "Liberation" from its name in Jaffna District. Sources said that the name change had become necessary in view of the radically changed scenario following the 2009 military defeat of LTTE.

Chairman of Northern Province Council Secretariat Kandiya Sivagnanam speaking at an occasion in Jaffna District said that LTTE will never raise its head again in the North without its slain leader V. Prabhakaran.

Galle District

Police arrested Stanly Kennedy (29), a former cadre of LTTE wanted in connection with four murders in Galle District. Police recovered a foreign manufactured 9 mm pistol and a magazine with eight ammunitions.

Batticaloa District

Former Batticaloa LTTE leader Ram was arrested by the TID in Batticaloa District. Police said the former LTTE member, who was rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, is been questioned by the TID.

Jaffna District

TID arrested a former LTTE leader in Jaffna District. The suspect had been identified as Sivamoorthi Kanapathipillai alias Nagulan who had been a 'commander' of the Charles Anthony Brigade, an elite brigade of the LTTE during its heyday.

Colombo

Defense Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi said that former LTTE leaders were arrested in relation to discovery of a stock of explosives and a suicide jacket in the North.

TID of Police arrested another rehabilitated leader of the LTTE in Kaththankudi of Batticaloa District on suspicion of regrouping.

State Minister of Defense Ruwan Wijewardene at a media briefing in Colombo said that this year giving priority to reconciliation efforts will mark the end of the LTTE war with a cultural show instead of a military parade.

Two LTTE suspects were arrested over the seizure of several caps bearing the LTTE logo in Vavuniya District. The arrestees are Mahadevan and Devadasan.

ITJP in a survey undertaken found that many former cadres of LTTE, now on exile in Europe, are willing to participate in the proposed transitional justice mechanisms in Sri Lanka on alleged violations of human rights during the final phase of the civil war, if their safety and anonymity are guaranteed.

President Maithripala Sirisena in an exclusive interview in Colombo reiterated his stance that there will be no foreign judges in the domestic mechanism which is to be established to probe the alleged war crimes and human right violations during the three-decade long conflict with LTTE.

Air Force personnel uncovered a buried stock of LTTE weapons from the Palamppidi area of Madu in Mannar District. The weapons were buried in a bunker LTTE maintained during the war and the area is now overgrown with forest.

Colombo

Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne at the Cabinet briefing at the Government Information Department rejected the allegations that Army used cluster bombs during the final phases of the LTTE war.

Colombo

Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice, a global non-partisan movement, urged the Army to release the records of the people surrendered to the security forces at the end of the LTTE war in 2009.

TNA issuing a statement on the oral update of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the Human Rights Council on the implementation of the Resolution on Sri Lanka said that justice for crimes committed in the past by both the military forces and the LTTE is a necessary precondition to achieve meaningful reconciliation.

Former interpreter for the LTTE George Master who surrendered to the Army on April 22, 2009, during the final stage of the war was released from the magisterial inquiry.

CM of Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran addressing the Tamil Peoples' Council in Jaffna District said that accountability for the war crimes committed in the last phase of LTTE war must be established before the Government formulates a new constitution.

NPC unanimously adopted a proposal to inquire into reports of suspicious deaths of ex-LTTE cadres who had undergone rehabilitation.

Co-Cabinet spokesman Dr. Rajitha Senaratne at the weekly Cabinet press briefing said that the Government will launch an investigation into the allegation that the rehabilitated LTTE cadres are mysteriously dying due to being poisoned while they were under Government custody undergoing rehabilitation.

Colombo

Northern Province Health Minister Dr. P. Sathiyalingam said that Health Ministry commenced medicals ascertain whether there is a truth to the allegation that the Government has poisoned the rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres during the government's rehabilitation program conducted at the army camps.

Colombo

State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene dismissed the Tamil politicians' allegations of poisoning ex-LTTE while undergoing rehabilitation at Government camps.

Colombo

TNA Provincial Councillor M. K. Shivajilingam said that US Embassy in Colombo had rejected Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Vigneswaran's request to conduct medical checks to verify whether ex-LTTE carders in custody were allegedly injected with a poisonous drug.

Northern Province CM C.V. Wigneswaran appointed a five member medical committee to assist in an investigation into the alleged deaths and illnesses of ex-LTTE cadres during and since their time in rehabilitation.

An ex-LTTE cadre who was undergoing treatment at the Jaffna Prison Hospital while being remanded at the Jaffna Prison has escaped from hospital. The accused is identified as Rasaiya Anandarasa.

The Parliamentary Oversight Committee of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Ministry said that the Government has decided to grant bank loans at concessionary rates to ex-LTTE cadres for self-employment purposes.

Colombo

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera in a startling revelation said that the leaders of LTTE paid money to a defence official of the previous Government to obtain safe passage out of the country.

Jaffna District

Northern Provincial Health Ministry organized complete medical examinations for the rehabilitated and released former members of LTTE in response to the allegations that they have been poisoned during rehabilitation.

Vavuniya District

An ex- LTTE cadre who had allegedly attacked residents of a war heroes housing scheme in Kokeliya area of Vavuniya District was arrested by the Police.

Northern Province CM C.V. Wigneshwaran said that a conspiracy is being hatched up to assassinate me and put the blame on the LTTE.

Former Army Lieutenant, who was convicted for the death of a LTTE suspect when he was attempting to escape military custody in 1998, paid SLR 2 million to the victim's family as compensation.

Jaffna/Northern Province

Reports that a terror gang, believed to be backed by the LTTE and inspired by South Indian films, is reportedly operating in Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Northern District of Jaffna, prompting Police to launch a crackdown. Acts of violence have recently increased in Jaffna suburbs such as Manipay, Kopay and Chunnakam by the sword-wielding Aava Group, Police sources said. It is believed this group was being backed by some politicians and former members of the LTTE. The group is also said to draw inspiration from South Indian films. The group has been accused of murder, plunder of property and assault of people and people fear it due to its attacks which have caused serious injuries to the victims that include two state intelligence operatives.

Jaffna

No one should entertain any fears about the TNA because it is not a party striving to divide the country, said TNA and Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan in Jaffna. He was addressing a meeting held to mark the launching of a newspaper named Kalai Kadeer started by Nadeshapillai Vidyadaran of the unregistered Tamil National Liberation Front comprising former LTTE members.

Colombo

Three youths, arrested on suspicion of being involved in criminal activities in the Northern Province and being members of a criminal gang called the 'AAVA Gangsters', were ordered to be remanded till November 16, by Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris. The suspects were arrested by TID under the provisions of PTA. The TID alleged that the suspects had connived with ex-LTTE cadres to commit criminal activities in the Northern Province. The three youths were among six persons, suspected to be members of 'Aava Gangsters', arrested by Jaffna Police. Four of them were arrested on November 5, while another two were arrested on November 6.

Colombo

Three youths who were arrested on suspicion of being involved in criminal activities in the Northern Province after being members of a criminal gang called 'Aava group', were ordered to be remanded until November 16 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Aruni Artigala. On November 8, three other youths of the 'Aava group' were remanded until November 16 by the court. All these six youths were arrested by Jaffna Police. Four of them were arrested on November 5, while another two were arrested on November 6. The TID alleged that the suspects had connived with the ex-LTTE cadres to commit criminal activities in the Northern Province.

Jaffna

11 suspects, including several students sitting for the GCE Advanced Level examinations arrested on suspicion of being involved in criminal activities in the Northern Province after being members of a criminal gang 'Aava group' were ordered to be further remanded till November 30 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Aruni Artigala. The arrested suspects were residents of Jaffna Peninsula. The TID conducting investigations into the activities of 'Aava group' informed Court that the group was receiving funds from Tamil Diaspora organisations operating overseas. The TID further told Court that the Aava group is operating with the aim of discrediting the image of government with the assistance of Tamil Diaspora organisations operating overseas. Filing a further report in this regard, the TID informed Court the Aava group was operating under the leadership of ex-LTTE cadre named Sanna and they were conducting investigation to arrest him.

Jaffna

Minister of Justice Wijedasa Rajapakshe told parliament that some groups were attempting to disrupt the country by labeling the 'Aava group' in Jaffna, as a LTTE group. The 'Aava group' in Jaffna is just a criminal group and such groups are common to all ethnic groups in the country.

Jaffna District

The 62nd birth anniversary of slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was celebrated at the Jaffna University in Jaffna District. Hundreds of Jaffna University students, academic and non-academic staff gathered at the Kailasapathy Auditorium of the varsity to celebrate the birth anniversary by cutting cakes.

Colombo

Former LTTE leader turned Deputy Minister of the former Government Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman was arrested by the FCID of the Police when he arrived at the FCID to record a statement over financial irregularities during his tenure in the previous UPFA-led Government.

Colombo

A Sri Lankan court rejected granting bail to the former LTTE leader turned deputy minister of the former Sri Lankan Government, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman who was arrested by the FCID of the Police on November 29.

Kilinochchi District

State Minister of Child Affairs Vijayakala Maheswaran during a ceremony at the Kilinochchi District Secretariat said if LTTE leader Prabhakaran had been living today he could have become the Prime Minister of the country.